The Devil in Disguise
by Diaed
Summary: All the lives she took, every deal she made, she never felt any guilt for the horrific actions she committed. She says she is searching for her father, but, what is she really looking for? Harkness/F!LW.
1. Mixed Signals

The man clambered at her ankles, grabbing at her boots with desperation as he begged and pleaded for the bottle of water she held between her fingers lazily. Vicious, hazel eyes shifted to the broken and dying man; alighting with burning hatred for the pathetic creature. She smirked to herself, moving the bottle over the mans head and dumping the contents on him with a disgusting level of amusement. The man dared to whine in her presence, receiving the plastic bottle when she threw it at his face before pressing the barrel of a sawed off shotgun to the mans forehead.

His eyes welled with fear, the wolfish grin of the red haired woman seeming to grow more sinister by the heartbeat. Before she could pull the trigger, the metal walkway to Rivet City groaned and screeched into place; allowing her to cross onto the boat. She looked to the two guardsmen positioned by Rivet City's entrance, then to the pathetic creature quivering before her. She wanted to tell the sad excuse for a human being to beg for his life, yet, chose to kill him without a word instead. Blood and gore splattered across the steel of the walkway, the woman holstering her weapon and striding towards the entrance of Rivet City.

Harkness was filled with a sudden regret, looking to the headless body of the poor man mournfully as the woman stopped before him "Howdy." She greeted far too nonchalantly for a woman who just took a life - a Regulator none-the-less.

"I thought Regulators didn't take innocent lives." He growled at her.

She quirked a brow at this, looking him over as though he was mad before looking down at her worn and blood splattered clothes "Oh," She said absentmindedly, tugging at the collar of her duster "Well, Regulators don't." She looked back at him "I've come to see Doctor Li, where may I find her?"

He gritted his teeth, hearing a faint buzz in his ears at his irritation "What's it to you?" He asked.

"I require her assistance for a matter of dire proportions," She replied "Where may I find her?"

"You just killed a man, how do I know you're not here to kill her?" He argued, holding his ground.

She chuckled, the sound low and dark and setting both guardsmen on edge "I can assure you, I have no reason to kill Doctor Li. I was informed by a man named Three Dogs that she may have information on a man that I am trying to find."

"So you can kill him?" He continued to accuse.

All amusement at the situation she held seemed to disintegrate at his comment "I will ask this only once more; Where is doctor Li?" She pressed, air becoming cold, almost as though all the warmth was being sucked from it to put fuel the burning fire of hatred in her eyes.

Harkness went to spit a retort when the guard by his side spoke up "The Science Lab, just through that door there," He nodded to the door on her left, their right, and hoped that she would leave them be "Follow the signs."

"Thank you," She smiled at this, the mask so flawless that it threw both of the men off guard "Have a good day."

* * *

The alarms still rung around her, her hands trembling as she gripped the baseball bat with all she had. What had possessed her to reject that pistol? Dam her and her emotions, allowing Amata to run off with the now necessary weapon, what had she even been thinking? She could hear the argumentative shouts between The Overseer and Amata, vicious agreements of the head guardsmen echoing after the old mans accusations. She let out a shaky breath, doing her best to steady herself but finding little chance to do so. That was when she heard gunshots ring out. She spun around the corner, seeing Amata holding a gun at her own father and officer Mac lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood.

"Nikki!" Amata called out, panic evident in her eyes.

"Amata." Nikki let out a breath, holding the bat in her hands with new found confidence. Before she could say a thing, she caught a glimpse of the overseer as he began to reach for a pistol at his waist. She lunged forward, slamming the bat into the old mans shoulder and sending him crashing into the ground. Amata gave a shriek, watching her best friend stand over her father and aim the bat at his nose "Amata, get out of here." She ordered.

At this, the overseers daughter ran from the room; dropping the pistol on her way out "I see the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." He growled up at the younger.

"This was a long time coming," She said coldly, despite her confidence already starting to waiver "Now, tell me the pass code for your terminal and give me the key to your office door." She could see the reluctance in the mans eyes. A smug sense of superiority became scrawled on his face at the sign of her faintly trembling hands; lack of courage beginning to show. Nikki gritted teeth and tried to picture someone else there in some other situation. Her hands steadied suddenly, a fire igniting in her eyes that chilled him to the core "Amata is my friend, she trusts me, but, if you don't give me what I ask I WILL hurt her."

The overseer was quiet for a long moment "It's in the terminal over there." He nodded at the terminal positioned on the desk by a cell. Nikki approached the desk, stooping down and picking up the 10mm pistol as she made her way towards it, and brought the terminal to life. She glanced back at the overseer, aiming the pistol at his head as she downloaded the information to her pip-boy. She glanced back at the device, nodding to herself when it was done.

Moving to the door, she stopped in the door way and half turned to half face him"Amata was the closet thing I ever had to a friend outside of Jonas, I would never hurt, so, I can't make you suffer the way you have made me," She aimed down the barrel of the pistol, a hatred she had never felt before burning in her chest "You could have survived this if you hadn't killed Jonas, but, you took away my humanity." She fired the weapon; bullet finding a new home in his grey matter "That was for my Jonas." With that, she turned and started towards his office.

She froze when she entered the main room, looking down at body lying in the center of the floor. She took shaky steps towards Jonas's dead body, dropping to her knees. She placed a warm hand to the dead mans cheek, tears welling up in her eyes "God…. Jonas..." She said, voice breaking under the weight of her pain.

"You…. Killed him…. Didn't you?" Amata's voice would have knocked Nikki off-guard if she was not so overwhelmed by the pain that threatened to break the strings of heart"You killed my father."

She cared not, tears falling freely onto the doctors lab coat "Jonas." She whispered softly "I-I'm so sorry," She cried "I'm so, so, sorry."

"You should be!" Amata practically growled from behind her "My father is dead! I thought you were my friend!" She screamed.

Nikki took Jonas's glasses from his face, closing his eyes gently before replacing the spectacles and kissing his cheek. She then looked to the holotape clutched in his hand and took it from his grip gently. Standing, she approached the other nineteen year old positioned in the doorway of a room that led off from the one she was in now "I hope you never have to lose the man you love." She said clearly before kicking Amata in the stomach to send her reeling back into the room. She shut the door, shooting the panel so it was locked. She knew Paul or Stanley would be able to fix it when this mess was over, and, knew it would be better if Amata was not seen with her when she finally left the vault.

As she turned to go to the office, she began to study the holotape titled "Note from dad"

* * *

"Don't mean to rush you, Doc, but I'd feel better if we got this over with." Jonas's familiar voice rang out through the pip-boy's speakers.

"Okay, Go ahead." He paused "Goodbye. I love you" Her dads final words to her echoed through the cracks in her heart, the holotape running out of recording. She rubbed her eyes with her palms, clearing away the tears that had begun to bloom in her eyes.

Doctor Li had not been available for questioning, to her dismay, and so the young woman was left with pathetic objectives that she had not bothered to pursue wholeheartedly. It had taken her well over an hour to dig up enough information on the legend named Pinkerton, now, she was awaiting on news on how to get into the ships bow. This Android from the Commonwealth seemed to have numerous ties leading to Rivet City. It made her wonder if the being was even here anymore.

"Hey. You." Harkness's sharp voice called out, the dangerous woman turning to look him over.

"Hey, you." She gave back in a way that was far more flirtatious than the man had greeted her. She proceeded to grin at the snarl that cursed his face, only serving to irritate him more "Such a cute snarl, you know, I have friends in Andale that would just love you." She teased, getting to her feet and approaching him "Bill would just eat you up." She invaded his personal space, moving so close their noses almost touched "I would just eat you up" She said on a low, dangerous voice. She suddenly smacked him in the chest, sending him reeling as she walked past "I guess Doctor Li is back." Without need of an answer, the 'pirate of the wastes' was gone; vanishing into the depths of the rusted tub known as Rivet City.


	2. Following in his footsteps

Each step was slow and loud, echoing through the rusted, metal halls eerily. These footsteps, sure and deadly, belonged to someone who it would be best to avoid if possible and best to listen to if they were to speak to you. Moving to a table on which sat a variety of fruit and vegtables, she gingerly selected and apple and lifted it to her dry lips, listening to the conversation that continued at the other side of the table between an old man and a young scientist.

"We don't know about your runaway robot and we don't care" The young, female scientist hissed "This lab is dedicated to solving REAL problems"

The old man snarled at this "Yes, yes, yes, but Doctor Li-" He was cut short by the scientist.

"Doctor Li is trying to save lives" She snapped "And you're constantly interrupting her efforts, now please, stand aside"

"I'm sure the good doctors work with water modification is fascinating, but the technology in that android-"

Her face lit up, the Pirate of the Wastes approaching the man "Your android has runaway?" She asked quickly, preventing the scientist from continuing.

The man looked at her quizzically for a brief moment "Yes. By chance are you for hire?" He questioned. A smirk gave him all he need, the old man returning it with a nod "How much do you know already?"

"That he's had facial reconstruction and a mind wipe" She shrugged casually "He isn't very good at covering his tracks"

"It will be no easy task. He may not even realize he's an adroid. Don't upset him by talking with him. Just come get me immediately. I'll handle it" The Old man ordered.

"And I will be compensated for my services?" She folded her arms over her chest, staring him down despite the centimeter he had over her.

"Of course" He agreed "I have, at my disposal, advanced technology from the Commonwealth. I'd be willing to share some of it with you. Just think, you'll be the envy of all your friends"

She grinned wolfishly "You're on, old man"

"Excellent. Locate my android, and you won't be disappointed" He nodded.

"I better not" She snapped her fingers before forming a finger gun and aiming it at him. She turned, approaching the nearest doctor "Excuse me" She caught the dark haired woman's attention "Where is Doctor Li?"

The woman quirked a brow at her, marking a page on her clipboard quickly before returning her attention to the Pirate of the wastes "I am Doctor Li, how can I help you?"

The Pirate of the wastes clicked her toung "I'm looking for a middle aged man, bit taller than me, might go by the name of James"

Doctor Li's brow furrowed, looking at her in a mixture of distrust and curiosity "James?" Suddenly his eyes were wide "Oh my god, it's you" She looked the girl over once more "You're James's daughter, but, I thought he left you in the vault?"

"He did" She responded coldly.

She looked at the younger sympath, the corners of her mouth twitching down into the faintest of frowns "What are you doing out here?"

"Looking for my dad, now, do you know where I can find him or not?" The pirate of the waste's voice held a sharp edge.

"I do, but…." She trailed off "If your dad left you in the vault, maybe he has his reasons"

The younger gritted her teeth, fighting off the urge to punch the doctor in the face "Stop trying to give me a fucking lecture and tell me where he is" She hissed, taking an intimidating step closer to the smaller woman.

The woman, once again, furrowed her brow "He's in a some vault, vault 112, I think. He went looking for a man named Stanis Braun"

The Pirate of the Wasteland nodded "Thank you for your help" She said more out of habit than in gratitude.

"Nikki, if your dad wanted you to be there-" Doctor Li started.

"I don't care" She hissed, turning and leaving. By the science labs exit tall man leant back against the wall, bald and weather beaten, his eyes hazel eyes piercing the thick smoke that slipped from benath his lips as he watched her.

She gave him a sly smirk as she approached the metal armoured man "Finally got over your hangover and hauled ass to this fucking death trap I see"

"Shut the fuck, kid" The man ordered, voice pitched a grating "You get what you want or do I have to keep waiting around with my thumbs up my fucking ass?"

"Lets get going, old man" She smirked, stealing the others cigarette and taking a drag.

"Fuck you, kid" He hissed, the two exiting the science lab and starting down the steel hall towards the market place "What are we doing?"

"Chems, water, ammo, fuck with that one guy" She listed "Vault 112, James"

* * *

_Positioned behind the desk, surrounded by a small mountain of electronics, she sat with her face invisible behind a pair of goggles and a mess of auburn hair. Though Pip-boy programmers were important, they weren't in demand. The people in vault 101 tended to be careful with their pip-boys, unless they were a Tunnel Snake, and that meant work wasn't always in bounty. This meant that she was left to fix radios, jukeboxes and other menial things that the people of Vault 101 seemed to break on a daily basis._

_The door to the workshop slid back, a dark skinned man walking in "Hey kiddo" He greeted, approaching the young woman and looking down at her and her work "Should you have your hair in a bun for that?" He asked, catching a glimpse of the broken radio that lay in parts before her._

"_Yes" She agreed, too distracted by her work to add volume to her words. Jonas reached down and brushed her hair from face, fingers grazing her neck as her balled her hair back into a temporary bun, causing her to blush lightly "What are you doing down here, Jonas, don't you have some work to do?" _

"_Not at the moment, the clinic is empty and I'm on break" He smiled, watching her work._

"_So you've come to bother me?" She glanced over her shoulder._

_He laughed slightly, reaching down and taking a hair tie from the table "I've come to ask if you want to watch a holotape with me later"_

_She was quiet as he tied her hair back for her, keeping an ear out for any approaching Vault members "Alright" She agreed "What am I suppose to tell my dad?"_

"_Why lie?" He suggested "You're over thinking things again, Nikola"_

_She stopped her work and swiveled around in her chair, looking up at him. She opened her mouth to bark at him for calling her Nikola, but, chose against it. It was Jonas, after all, and only he could get away with calling her by her full name "I always do" She looked back at her work "I'll finish this up and then head over to your unit"_

* * *

"I never made it to his unit" Nikki's voice took Jericho off-guard, the younger of the pair having been silent for the majority of the trek to Vault 112.

Jerchio looked down at the girl, her face hidden by the mask of a long dead raider blastmaster, and even though he couldn't see her expression her voice gave her away "You alright, kid?" He questioned "You're not getting fucking emotive on me, are you?"

She looked up at him and he knew, from the extended period of time her had spent saving her ass, that she was looking up at him in confusion "No, I was just - eh - thinking aloud" She lied. In truth, she hadn't meant to speak at all.

Jericho brushed it off, not wanting bother with her past. She didn't pry about his, he didn't pry about hers, that was just how they worked. Of course he knew bits and pieces, that was inevitable since he was trudging from one side of the wastes to the other in search of her father with her, but it wasn't that much.

Her old man had broken out of one of those vaults, Jericho wasn't sure why, there was food, water, a comfy bed and a safe place live, he thought her dad was out of his fucking mind and was pretty sure that was where Nikki got it from. Her old man was some sort of scientist turned doctor and his escape had resulted in some guy she was close to getting shot, that was the extent of it though.

Nikki approached the garage door and pushed it back, stepping into the dim lighting of the main room "What kind of place is this for a vault?" She asked, noticing the pink, wrinkled, pest in the corner. She knelt down, clicking her tongue and holding out her hand.

The filthy vermin approached, sniffing her hand before rubbing it's head against her glove "Quit fucking about, kid, and lets get this over with" Jericho snarled, watching the Pirate of the Wasteland pet the dirt and blood covered molerat.

She stood, approaching a switch in the wall "Yeah, yeah" She grumbled, pressing down the green button.

A large, rectangular, metal hatch in the ground open; the doors clipping the hind legs of the molerat. The pair stepped down the rusted steps, approaching the heavy door of Vault 112 "You getting nostalgic, kid?" Jericho asked, watching her approach the control panel by the doors entry.

"Lets just get this over with" She growled, unlocking the door.

The heavy metal door screeched open, mechanisms groaning and hissing as the Vault door revealed it's innards. A dark haze fell over Nikki's eyes causing the old raider by her side to toss aside his cigarette and crush it out. He had seen that look once before and he had made the mistake of acting casual, the easiest way to explain the result was that he now had a new scar.

Jericho fell a step behind her, watching the far younger approach a Robarian that forced a jumpsuit into hands and order her to put it on before getting into a 'tranquility chamber' and ignoring Jericho completely. She snarled at the blue and yellow fabric, starting down one of the vaults halls.

"Thing must be malfunctioning" Jericho commented, trying to ease her anger with banter.

"Must be" She agreed. They entered a large middle chamber, pods and wires linked to a large computer in its center. She leant on the railing, looking at each of the pods. Her eyes grew wide, breath catching in her throat "Dad!" She jumped over the railing, landing on the level below and rushing over to one of the pods.

Pressing her hands to the pods glass, she studied the older man, unconscious, in the pod "Dad" She panicked, starting to search for an emergency power button. She was unsuccessful. Nikki caught the sight of a terminal out the corner of her eyes and ran over to it, bringing the pre-war tech to life. She couldn't get it to co-operate and found no way to get her father out there. Jericho, finally having found a way to the bottom floor, looked to the girl as she leaned against the terminal and glared at the jumpsuit in her fist "Take care of my shit" She ordered, straightening up and starting to tear off her gear "I'll be back soon"

Jericho quirked a brow but then simply shrugged it off, taking a crumpled pack of cigarettes from a pouch on his belt, watching her pull on the jumpsuit and climb into the pod. "Good luck kid" He nodded. As the lid closed, she flashed Jericho the finger.


End file.
